I heard that you can watch a traditional play near Prambanan Temple…
What’s it actually like?
There is a theater right next to Prambanan Temple with one outdoor and one indoor stage.
In this article, I will introduce one of its performances, “Roro Jonggrang.”
What is the play “Roro Jonggrang”?
A play based on the myth surrounding the construction of Prambanan Temple is performed at a theater right next to the temple.
For more details about the play, please watch the video above!
The Myth of Prambanan Temple
The Prambanan Temple is linked to the legend of the Prambanan Kingdom.
This kingdom brought a peaceful life, but one day it was suddenly attacked, and Bandung Bondowoso defeated the king of the Prambanan Kingdom, leading to its defeat.
After that, the notorious Bandung Bondowoso became the leader, and his cruel rule began.
He wanted to marry Princess Roro Jonggrang, the daughter of the king of the Prambanan Kingdom, but she demanded the construction of 1,000 temples in one night as a condition.
Having had her own father killed, Roro Jonggrang could not possibly marry him.
(However, it is said that she was also drawn to Bandung Bondowoso’s power and was on the verge of falling in love with him.)
Bandung Bondowoso, along with his advisors, summoned a Jinn army and began the construction of the temples.
However, Roro Jonggrang was astonished by the speed of the temple construction and feared that 1,000 temples would actually be built.
So, she lit a fire in the east to fake the sunrise, sabotaged the temple construction, and as a result, only 999 temples were completed.
Angered, Bandung Bondowoso cursed her, using magic to turn her into a stone for the last remaining temple, thus completing the 1,000th temple. This legend tells the history and mystery of Prambanan Temple.
Because of this myth, there is a rumor that couples who visit the largest Roro Jonggrang temple (candi Roro Jonggrang) will be cursed by the jealous Roro Jonggrang and break up.
Access
It is about a 30-minute drive from the center of Yogyakarta.
It is located right next to Prambanan Temple.
